


Counting on New Disasters

by prompt_fills



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Career, Feel-good, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, Meet-Cute, Misunderstandings, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prompt_fills/pseuds/prompt_fills
Summary: Aleks is picking his daughter from the kindergarten when he accidentally knocks down one the of the elementary teachers and finds out that his daughter is calling the guy daddy.    This goes the single dad!AU route – the daughter is an original character and her name is Danijela. She is about five and she is little miss Trouble.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myblueworld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myblueworld/gifts).



> Myblueworld, your prompt had me laughing - it needed to be written. Enjoy!

Aleks leaves his car three streets away from his daughter’s kindergarten and walks the rest of the way to the building through a near park. He can already picture the horrified expression on Danijela’s face when he picks her up and tells her they’re going to have to walk the whole way back home on foot because daddy forgot his car today. Just like she forgot her toys outside in their garden yesterday. Didn’t she say it could happen to anyone? That’s right, she did, it could and oops, it did.

Aleks smiles to himself and shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket. The autumn is turning out to be beautiful and the streets are covered by colourful leaves. The wind is blowing but it isn’t too sharp yet and she’s going to love chasing after the leaves and finding a bunch of the prettiest ones they could carry home.

He even remembered to bring her a scarf because he is pretty sure she didn’t grab one earlier this morning. They’re still trying to work out their morning routine. There must be a special trick all the mums in the kindergarten know because it’s impossible to get it all done on time no matter how early they get up. He suspects some dark magic to be involved but no one has let him in onto the secret yet.

Danijela’s kindergarten is right next to the school she’ll be starting next year. For once, Aleks is a few minutes early so he stops by the playground. A group of boys is playing football – the legs of the swings serve as the far two posts and on the other side of the pitch there are someone’s schoolbags spaced respectively apart. One of the older boys is guarding them with a fierce expression on his face.

Something aches dully in Aleks’ chest as he watches the kids run around. There will always be a part of him wondering what could have happened if he didn’t bust his leg in that training camp, or what could have been if only the wound didn’t get infected. If he could have been picked as a prospect like his couch said he could, if he could have gone pro like he dreamed he would. He remembers perfectly what he was like when he was as old as the kids are now. There are days when the lost chances are gnawing at him and then there are days when he remembers what he’s gotten instead. When Danka snuggles to him and kisses him goodnight and gazes up at him like he hung the moon, he is thankful for what he has. He would have never had her if he had football instead and she’s more than worth it.

It’s just that sometimes there are days when he misses it. After missing the camp and missing his chances and getting too old to _get somewhere_ , he couldn’t watch the game for years. But this, this is quite different from watching the match from the stands. The kids are awful at it and Aleks feels a stupid smile tug at the corners of his lips. The ball is being kicked everywhere but in the direction of either of the goals and Aleks catches himself chuckling softly.

One of the boys manages to send the ball into a tree where it bounces off and lands near Aleks. Aleks stops it from rolling further away on instinct, poking at it with the tip of his shoe. The kids pause, staring at him expectantly, and he doesn’t want to disappoint.

He balances the ball on his foot easily and the boys cheer loudly. He wants to deliver, so he checks where the swings are, takes aim and sends the ball flying with enough force to make the boys whoop in delight. This has never been one of his strong suits but it’s nice to see that some things you can’t forget. He watches as the ball sails through the air. It’s going to make it straight into the goal and the boys are laughing and clapping and Aleks smiles and feels good about their praise – until a head pops up from behind one of the monkey bars, right into the way of the soaring ball.

“Watch out!” Aleks yells but it’s too late and he only makes the matter worse – the person turns to the sound and catches the full impact with his face.

Aleks is pretty sure the stream of words that leaves his mouth should never ever _ever_ be heard by any of the kids around him but he doesn’t give a damn. He runs across the field to get to the guy he managed to knock down.

There is a terrible, terrible shriek and Aleks feels his insides turn into ice because he would recognize that particular shriek anywhere. He picks up even more speed, calling out, “Danka?!”

He sees her, running towards the guy as well, from the opposite side than he is coming. He can’t afford to spare a moment to ask what she is doing here. She’s obviously all right, thank god, so he focuses on the guy who went down like a sack of potatoes.

“Daddy! Did you kill someone again?!” She runs closer to them. “Oh no! Daddy! You killed Mr. Edin!”

The guy is lying on the ground and he seems to be unresponsive so Aleks has no time to explain that he only ever _killed_ Ms. Hopkins, two days ago, actually, by accidentally vacuuming the poor plush bunny because _someone_ has forgotten her on the couch in the living room, tucked between the pillows instead of putting her to her place on the toy shelf. (Ms. Hopkins survived the ordeal but after being digged out of the dust bag, she has been forced to spend vacations seaside – in the washing machine – and was currently drying out in his bedroom and Aleks was withholding her for the next few days to teach his kid not to be so damn messy all the time.)

The boys scuttle away from him, horrified. One of the younger boys starts sniffling loudly and when one of the older boys – possibly a sibling – hides him behind his backs, the kid starts bawling for real.

Despite the uproar they’re causing, the guy is not getting up. Aleks quickly kneels down next to him, feeling for his pulse.

“I didn’t kill anyone, sweetie,” he says, trying to calm Danijela down. He leans in closer to check if the guy is breathing.

“Why did you hurt him, daddy?! Mr. Edin is always nice to me! He’s my daddy, too!”

Aleks’ head snaps up so fast he can hear the soft pop of his spine. “He’s _what_?”

The expression on his face must be murderous. The boys shriek, absolutely frightened, and they all run away, leaving the godforsaken football forgotten on the ground.

“He was really nice to me,” Danijela explains, whimpering. “All the other kids always have their mummy _and_ their daddy come to pick them up and I only have you so Mr. Edin said he could also come to pick me up and I could wait with him for you on the pitch and watch the boys play but the boys are dumb and the game is dumb and I got bored so Mr. Edin said I could colour!” She points to the sidewalk where Aleks absent-mindedly notices the purple and green chalk doodles that vaguely resemble flowers.

“Very nice,” he says automatically.

“But now you killed him and he won’t be nice to me anymore because he’s dead!” Danijela starts crying.

“He’s not dead, Danka, stop crying.”

But Danijela is not to be consoled so easily. “You said that about Ms. Hopkins, too, and no one ever saw her again! You killed him, daddy!”

“No,” comes a low groan, “he didn’t, sweetie. But he will if he keeps on holding me like that.”

Aleks glances down at the guy and realizes he’s been gripping the side of his neck tightly. He has forgotten he was trying to check the pulse when Danijela said the guy offered to be her daddy.

Aleks adjusts his grip so he’s choking the guy for real. “What did you say to her?” he hisses. “And who the heck are you?!”

The guy gulps, Aleks can feel the way his throat moves under his palm. The guy is fit and muscular, Aleks notices automatically, and he looks like he could put up a good fight. Whatever, Aleks won’t stand for any fucktard breathing the same air as Danijela.

“That’s Mr. Edin, daddy! He teaches here!”

Oh, that’s just great. “Not a creep, then, eh?” he hisses into the guy’s face, pressing down a little. “Think you could get away with anything, eh? Pretty face, trustworthy position. Let me ask you again. What did you say to her?”

“Daddy!” Danijela shrieks. “What are you doing?!” There are tears streaming down her face and Aleks sees red.

His gut clenches when he thinks what a stroke of _luck_ it was that the ball came rolling his way and that he managed to hit this scumbag in his admittedly handsome face because if he didn’t he never would have suspected a thing. “Her daddy, eh?” He snarls. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” he hisses so quiet that Danijela won’t hear.

“I can explain that, really. Let go of me.”

There is a sudden commotion and the boys that were kicking the ball around the pitch earlier come running back, this time with another adult among their midst. It takes a moment for Aleks to spot him. The teacher isn’t much tall and there are two or three boys that are taller than him. Initially, Aleks thinks he is just another kid. The teacher is livid, though, and looks ready to tear Aleks to pieces if necessary. There is a fierce determination clearly written on his face which takes Aleks aback and loosens his fingers.

“What on Earth is going on in here?! Do I have to call the police?”

Aleks is frozen still, which the guy he levelled uses to slither away from underneath him and sit up. “Oh no, thanks David, it’s fine. I have this.”

“Really?” The teacher, David, doesn’t seem to be convinced. Aleks can’t blame him.

“Really. I just got knocked down by a stray football, I’m fine. Take the kids from here? We’re going to the gym for the next period anyway.”

“Navas isn’t back yet?”

“No, we’re splitting his classes with Stevan till the end of the week.”

The kids are staring at them and the teacher uncrosses his arms and takes a step back. “You sure you got this, Edin?”

“Yeah! Shoo! Off with you lot, everyone go to their classes. My classes will wait for me with Mr. Silva, okay? And he’s entitled to give you detentions so bear that in mind, understood?”

Slowly and reluctantly, the kids obey and Aleks is left alone with the guy again.

“Would you mind letting go of my shirt?”

“Oh. I’m sorry, Mr. Edin,” Aleks says, feeling the slight blush creep to his face.

“It’s Mr. Džeko,” the guy says, smiling. “But Edin is fine too.”

Aleks imagines the guy gets away with a lot with that winning smile. He has to look away. He catches Danijela’s face, worried and frowning at them both. She’s got her thumb in her mouth and is nibbling on the hangnail. It’s a nasty habit she picked up recently from some other kid in the kindergarten and Aleks’ tried about everything to break it. Tough luck so far.

“Danka, stop biting your nails. How about you go and wait for me with Ms. Hart? Grab your chalks and return them. I’ll be with you as soon as I’m done here, my love, and then we’ll go home.”

“All right,” Danijela huffs and skips away.

Aleks turns to the guy on the ground and after a brief wavering, he extends his hand to help him on his feet. “Uh. I’m sorry about springing her on you. I never realized the time I pick her up clashes with Ms. Hart’s lunch break.”

The guy accepts the hand and when Aleks pulls him up, he winces slightly and feels around the bridge of his nose with his hand.

“It’s not broken, is it?”

The guy prods at the sides gingerly, then declares, “No, it’ll just bruise awfully.”

“Sorry about that, too. I didn’t see you.”

“I know, it’s fine. You do have a mean kick, though.”

Aleks feels like a kid being scolded by a super nice teacher, which is usually worse not for the actual words they say but for the feeling of letting someone down.

“Don’t feel bad about sometimes being a bit late for picking her up,” the teacher goes on, “I always train the boys outside and it’s no trouble at all to keep an eye on her as well while Ms. Hart eats her lunch.”

“I’m really sorry, I just never realized she needs to take a break, I just thought she goes from watching them before lunch to the afternoon program.”

“I know you’re not doing it on purpose,” the guy nods, his fingers still rubbing circles around his nose and also testing how sore his jaw is.

“It’s not like I can end my work at one o’clock sharp. If any clients come in ten minutes before the closing hours, I can’t quite tell them to bugger off and try again the next day. And I have like zero control about how long each session turns out to be. Sometimes I can deal with them pretty quick but–”

“You really don’t have to apologise, I wouldn’t have offered to watch her if it was any bother to me. I can imagine that a life of a single parent can be really tough.”

“You have no idea,” Aleks chuckles. Then he frowns and adds, “Err, you know about that?”

“Hm? Oh, right. It’s in your file.”

Aleks sneaks a glance at Edin. “My file?”

“Uh-huh, we have desks about every kid here and we cleared with the main office before we let her stay with me for Jo’s lunch.”

“Ah.” Aleks folds his arms over his chest and some of the anger creeps back into his voice as he asks. “Why is my daughter calling you her daddy?”

It’s hard to keep scowling at the guy when he flushes scarlet and looks like a kicked puppy. “I’m so sorry about that. I can totally explain that one, though. That was a complete accident, okay?”

“Okay,” Aleks drawls, enjoying making the teacher flustered. Now that the first shock and surge of rage washed over him, he’s prepared to hear out the explanation. He can have the teacher expelled and lynched for foul play later. And if it turns out he touched her, he’s as good as dead anyway.

“Danijela was going on and on about how the other kids have mummy and daddy to pick them up and how she only has you.”

Aleks hums, non-committal. Once she got started, Danijela could go on for hours about the topic and he was always quite clueless what to tell her. His explanations felt like he was just repeating the things she already knew and it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. “Yeah, I know.”

“I read that you… I mean, I know,” Edin looks up to meet his eyes but he can’t keep the contact. He glances down at the ground. “I just suggested that some kids have two daddies instead.”

Aleks freezes.

Everything stopps existing for a second and all Aleks can focus on is the feeling like someone yanked the rug from under his feet. Did everyone know? God, he could imagine how very differently it could have gone with that teacher who came to Edin’s rescue. What if Edin claimed Aleks was trying to force himself on him? Their position was quite compromising. And all the kids saw him ‘attack’ their favourite teacher.

With two quick steps, he puts a greater distance between the teacher and himself. Here he’s been plotting how to get the creep of a teacher expelled when in fact he is the creep in the scenario and should be glad his kid was even allowed to attend the school.

He spots a near bench, takes the reaming few steps towards it and collapses down onto it.

“I just wanted her to consider it, you know?” Edin sits down next to him, seemingly unaware of Aleks’ panic.

“I don’t know if you’re out to her or not, or how open you are about these things with her – she’s still pretty young – but I just thought she shouldn’t be so fixed on the idea of a new mummy, you know? Even if you _do_ find a new mummy for her I just thought it would be good for her to be aware that some families aren’t like that, that some don’t have two parents and that some have two mummies. Or daddies.”

Aleks isn’t able to get out a single sound. His fingers are shaking ever so slightly so he leans forward a bit and braces his arms on his sprawled legs, hiding his hands in between them.

Edin takes the silence as an encouragement to go on. Perhaps he feels like he needs to explain himself to Aleks, which brings on the rant.

“Look, I know it’s none of my business how you raise your kid and what beliefs or opinions you give her about the world.” Edin runs his hand through his hair and then shifts a bit closer on the bench to Aleks. “That is really up to you but I’ve read the documents we have about her and there is a contact info about the parents and there is some pretty intimate information in there and I just thought that since she’s living with you, she should know it’s an option.”

This time, a distressed sound escapes Aleks. The pain in his chest feels very real.

“You don’t have to worry, though!” Edin assures quickly. “I made it seem like a random story for her, just so that she knows there are families like that. I really, really didn’t imply that it’s about your family, okay?”

Aleks is far from being reassured. “But she’s called you–”

“I know!” The blush deepens. “I don’t know, I don’t know where she got that. I’m not even out to anyone at the school, I think the parents would riot if they knew. I was just explaining things in general terms to her and I was talking about this one other family and then she was looking at me really intense and asking me if she could call me her other daddy since I’m also picking her up from the school, technically, you know?”

“Yeah.” He can imagine it happening just like that, Danijela not giving the poor teacher any choice in it. She was no doubt pouting and trying to copy his own stern ‘I have a serious business with you, young lady’ look. Aleks himself had troubles keeping a straight face when she first tried it on him.

“I can educate the kid a bit, yeah but it’s really not my place to explain how actually it works if she wants to call her father’s partners daddy. And it went from general examples to your family awful quick and I know it says that… well, you know the stuff people said at the court during the divorce but what do I actually know about you, you could bring her home a new mummy or someone who would like to be called mummy. I really know next to nothing about you. I mean besides what Danijela says about you.”

Edin is worrying his lip bloody and Aleks can’t look away. It seems that the topic is just as unpleasant and embarrassing for the teacher as it is for Aleks. Darn kids, always making things complicated. How nice it could have been had Aleks met Edin someplace else, maybe flirted a little and asked him for a coffee or something. But what he gets is this conversation.

“Then she started to call you daddy,” Aleks completes, his voice barely a whisper when he finishes the sentence. It’s like he’s in a dream – in a nightmare.

“Yeah. But I want you to know that I didn’t encourage it in any way! I actually asked her to stop calling me that several times but she’s really stubborn about it. And I’m sorry for embarrassing you like that.”

Aleks turns his head when he feels Edin’s gaze on him again. He has a bit of dirt on his cheek where the football hit him and Aleks wants to reach over and rub it off. “She’s a handful, isn’t she.”

“She’s just a very curious kid and I had to tell her something. It didn’t feel healthy to let her get so absorbed into the idea of having a mummy as well as a daddy.”

Just like that, all the traces of the anger Aleks could have felt are gone completely. Instead of having the right to be pissed, he owes the guy an apology _and_ a thank you. Edin went above and beyond his duties for his kid and Aleks really has to appreciate that. He bitterly wishes their first meeting could have gone differently. While he’s sure he’s made a lasting impression on the guy – and he’s not talking about the bruise that is already starting to form on the guy’s face – he’s managed to do all but impress. It just seems like he’s got a rotten luck when it comes to attractive guys. He always has to make an ass out of himself, doesn’t he.

Well, at least no one can say he’s not fair. Maybe not in the heat of the moment but once he’s calmed down a bit, he can see things clearly. He has to admit he couldn’t have been more wrong with his first assumptions about the teacher.

For a few long moments, Aleks tilts his head back, watching the grey autumn sky that promises the weather is about to get worse in the following few days. “Thank you,” he says quietly.

Aleks is startled by the sound of a school bell.

“Ah, a break,” Edin says, checking the watch on his wrist. “Danijela will be waiting for you. She’s a sweetheart, you know?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Aleks nods his head, zipping up his jacket and then awkwardly shoving his hands into his pockets to keep his fingers from tugging at the zipper nervously. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

“That’s no problem at all. She’s really great. I sometimes pick her up from Ms. Hart when you’re running late and she stays here with me and the boys while Ms. Hart has goes to lunch. Danijela’s not much into sports, though, is she?”

“Uh,” Aleks says. He had no idea Ms. Hart from whom he always picks Danijela up has to squeeze lunch into her schedule. He just thought… he didn’t think about it at all, actually. He just always walked to the classroom to pick his daughter up and she was always here for the evening classes. “Not really. I have no idea where I went wrong with her.”

Edin laughs.

“I honestly can’t see her play for Željo but I wouldn’t write her off just yet. Maybe she’ll pick up something else when she starts school, you know?”

“I’m dreading she’ll take to ballet,” Aleks mutters under his breath, face completely serious.

“Worried she’d make you wear the tutu, aren’t you,” Edin says, equally deadpan.

“Terrified.”

They both laugh and Aleks really hopes he’s not reading this wrong because there is no way Danka would be okay with switching schools. Her best friend from the kindergarten is going to attend this school as well, he couldn’t do it to her. He’d just have to suck it up and hope he wouldn’t run into Edin too often if things went sour. And that’s not even taking into account that Edin could take it out on Danka at school and that would really suck because she seems to genuinely look up to the guy.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Aleks says quickly. “Why?”

“Nothing. You just seem a little… Never mind.”

Aleks wants to take the leap, he really wants, but the risk is just too high and the day has been a bit of a disaster and though everything cleared up by the end, he’s not about to push his luck anymore.

“I should go take Danijela home before Ms. Hart goes crazy from the overexposure.”

Edin has a beautiful laugh, Aleks has had the chance to notice several times today. And here he was thinking he was past the awkward phase of crushing on teachers, damn it.

Of course, that’s when Edin says, “Listen, you have no reason to worry, you’re doing great with her on your own. Danka adores you, it’s clear from all her gushing, okay?”

The name slips past his lips effortless and practised, and it means that at some point Danijela must have asked him to call her that. Must have trusted him enough and must have really liked him. (That part, Aleks imagines, is really easy.)

“Okay,” Aleks manages. Edin’s open smile and warm eyes and his hand comfortingly resting on Aleks’ shoulder all makes his resolution crumble.

“And terrible aim aside, I think you really are as awesome as your daughter claims you are.”

Aleks’ chest tightens and his brain takes a vacation and he leans in, impulsively closing the gap between them, finding’s Edin’s lips with his own.

It isn’t just a brief touch, it’s lingering, teasing and thrilling. Edin turns his head to adjust to the angle and Aleks looses himself to the sensation completely. His eyes fall shut and he cards his fingers through Edin’s hair, which earns him a delightful, needy groan.

The school bell rings again, announcing the end of the break loud and sharp across the whole playground. They spring apart, breathing hard.

Aleks is absolutely horrified by his behaviour and he’s struggling to his feet, fumbling with his jacket and refusing to meet Edin’s eyes. “You’ve got a lesson to teach, right?”

“Yes,” Edin confirms.

“Okay. I need to be going as well. Listen, I… I’m really sorry about today.”

Edin waves his hand dismissively, his back already turned. “An honest mistake,” he grumbles.

Aleks sucks in a breath and takes a moment to compose himself. Danijela doesn’t deserve him freaking out on her.

When Edin is out of the sight, Aleks goes to meet Ms. Hart. Danijela is already waiting for him, bubbling with excitement.

“Come here, Danka,” he smiles at her and takes her schoolbag, hauling the pink monstrosity Danijela insisted she wanted because, apparently, Rockland owls were _the best_ , over his shoulder.

“Let’s go to the park,” he suggests. He can’t wait to see her expression once she thinks they have to walk all the way back home but for now, he wants her to enjoy the park without being annoyed with him.

“Yesss!” Danijela whoops, jumping into the air in delight. “Goodbye, Ms. Hart.”

“Bye, Danijela,” the woman answers, a wry smile on her lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Aleks will see her tomorrow, too, quite probably with some chocolate or coffee as a thank you for bearing with them both.

Danijela is overjoyed to be going to the park and she doesn’t question his decision in the slightest. She is hopping off the kerbs and climbing up again, full of energy and anticipation.

They walk for a while and Aleks lets her babble excitedly about the kids from the kindergarten, prompting with various questions, before he steers the conversation to what interests him most.

“Those were some pretty flowers you drew today on that sidewalk. Did you have fun with Mr. Edin?”

“Yes! I always do! Mr. Edin said we’ll build a snowman when there will be enough snow! And he will be huuuuge! Like this!” She holds up her hand as high above her head as she can.

“Oh, really? You’ll have to show me when you do.”

“Yes! Yes! And he will be amazing and he will have a huge carrot for his nose and do you know what his name will be, daddy?”

“Olaf?” Aleks hazards.

Danijela’s eyes shine in delight. “Yes!” She hugs his legs. “You’re really smart daddy.”

“Oh, thank you, Danijela.” They take a few more steps. “So, you really like Mr. Edin, don’t you?” Aleks probes.

Danijela giggles. “He’s the best. He’s going to be my favourite teacher next year!”

“I thought Ms. Hart was your favourite?”

“Yeah, she is the best, too!”

“Ah, okay. As long as you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.” Danijela nods solemnly, taking his hand without prompting as they’re about to cross the street. She doesn’t immediately try to tug free the moment they’re on the other side, something she’s been doing a lot since she’s become the big girl who’s starting the elementary school next year, so Aleks enjoys it while he can. He swings their joined hands as they walk, making her giggle again. It’s one of Aleks’ favourite sounds in the world. “I asked Mr. Edin about it and he said it’s okay.”

“What’s okay?”

“To have more favourites!” She explains in _d’uh_ tone. “I asked Mr. Edin if I wouldn’t be your favourite anymore if you found a new mummy.”

“Ah, I see. What did he tell you?”

“He told me I would still be your favourite and that him _and_ Ms. Hart can _both_ be my favourite.”

“That’s right,” Aleks breathes out, relieved. “You’ll always be my favourite person in the whole world, always.”

“Always, like forever and ever?”

“Forever and ever, Danka,” he promises. She smiles at him, an exaggerated smile with her mouth shut. He ruffles her hair and she squawks at him, swatting his hand away. “Daaaddyyy!” she whines in a protest.

“Run along, you little monkey,” he says as they enter the park. They have a free afternoon and he can afford to spend the time with her here. He lets her have her fun before he’s going to start the lesson about tidiness and forgetfulness and how she would not like it if everyone was always using the ‘I forgot’ excuse.

He gets a few strange glances from the other people in the park. Possibly because the pink owl bag over his shoulder really looks rad or maybe because the bouquet of colourful leaves Danijela keeps bringing to him keeps on growing and growing. She says they’re all pretty and declares her each new discovery her ‘favourite’ one and he doesn’t have the heart to tell her to stop, not when he just made sure she knows she can have many favourites and that she’ll always be his favourite above all.

Eventually, it’s time to go home. She whines and tries to bargain for a few more minutes. He agrees, because it’s not like he’s on a tight schedule or anything and he also gets a good deal out of it – she promises to help him wash all the vegetables for dinner.

The easy mood between them doesn’t last.

He starts walking causally towards the other gateway to the park. It’s the exact opposite direction from the school parking lot and it doesn’t take long for Danijela to start fidgeting.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, love?” He asks and keeps on walking.

“We’re not going back to school to our car?” She sounds genuinely puzzled and Aleks struggles to keep his face impassive. “Because it’s that way!” She points back to where they came from.

“Oh!” Aleks gasps as if suddenly remembering. “I’ve forgotten the car today!” He loudly smacks a hand against his forehead.

“What?” Danijela is watching him as if he grew a second head. “How could you just forget?”

He explains to her about the car and about the toys left outside in the garden overnight, hoping that experiencing it firsthand will be a good lesson for her. She’s been ‘forgetting’ to do a lot of things these past few weeks, mainly her chores and general things she doesn’t enjoy doing.

He thinks she gets it but that still doesn’t save him from the hissy fit.

“You’re mean, daddy!”

“Only to mean little girls who leave their toys out in the rain.” Aleks chuckles and exits the park. She hurries after him, pouting.

He lets her steam all those three streets it takes them to reach the spot where he left his car earlier. He points it out to her and lectures her a bit about the responsibility. Then he unlocks the car and she silently climbs in the back, still not talking to him.

Aleks refuses to let it bother him and he’s not going to talk by himself just to fill the silence. She has no right to be upset. He switches on the radio and sings along with the songs. It takes about two blocks before Danijela joins the singing, laughing and inventing her own lyrics when she doesn’t know the exact words and Aleks glances at her in the rear view mirror and feels his heart swell.

They don’t stop singing until they pull into their driveway and then it’s the usual craziness of games, housework and dinner, topped by their bedtime routine. It isn’t until she’s in bed and he’s winding down after the crazy day, sipping beer and watching some action movie that he notices he’s got a bunch of texts from an unknown number.

His breathing quickens as he reads the first message.

_Your number was in the file, too. E._

Aleks bites on his lip in a futile attempt to stop the stupidly pleased smile.

The second thread reads, _I hope you don’t mind. But I couldn’t just leave things as they were._

Finally, the last one simply says, _Are you two doing anything this Saturday?_

Aleks glances at the clock on the wall and decides it’s not too late. He quickly swipes his fingers over the screen to check his calendar for upcoming events and then starts tapping the answer to Edin, a wide smile on his face. _What did you have in mind?_

Edin sent the texts several hours ago, so Aleks reminds himself he shouldn’t expect a quick reply. When he gets an incoming message only a minute later, Aleks wants to do the same overjoyed dance Danijela always does.

Aleks contains himself, though, and after reading the latest text, he decides to dial the number so they can make arrangements faster.

If Edin won’t play the stupid waiting games, he sure as heck won’t either. And he can afford to look a little too eager. After that disappearing stunt he pulled earlier, he should be glad Edin wasn’t put off for good.

Aleks hits the green button, his heart speeding up in excitement.

It isn’t even two rings before Edin is picking up.


End file.
